Eventide
by The Tree That Fell Silently
Summary: Nightpaw isn't quite your average apprentice. He doesn't like to train and doesn't like to play. He's also easily overlooked. Someday, though, he'll be noticed... even if that means forcing his Clanmates under his own paws. (One-Shot)


"Okay, Nightkit, Daisykit, say bye."

Nightkit snarled silently as the two younger kits stepped on his tail. _Playfights! So ridiculous._ His sister Daisykit giggled and nudged them off his pelt. What did she have to make her so happy all the time?

Their mother Mothfur stalked towards them with his brother Alderkit in tow. _Stupid tabby. Mothfur's favorite._

Daisykit rolled over and hopped up on her paws, cheerfully looking up at the queen with wide eyes. "Is the ceremony really today?" _Of course it is, you flea-brain._ "I'm so excited!" _Even fruit flies make you excited. What doesn't excite goosey kits like you?_

"Lucky! We still have three moons to wait," Fogkit, one of the youngest kits in the nursery, scraped his little claws on the ground, kicking away a pebble.

The dark tom refrained from rolling his eyes. "It'll be your turn sooner than you think."

Alderkit flashed him a happy glance. _Ugh._ The tabby nodded to him and little Fogkit. "Yeah, and then you can train with us."

 _Won't that be just fleatastic? Training with Whitestar's little furballs will be just peachy._ He growled silently.

"Now, now, kits," Mothfur scooped her three scrappy bundles close to her warm pelt, "Whitestar will be calling everycat to the Highrock soon," she rasped her tongue over Nightkit and Daisykit's ruffled fur, causing the little tom to scowl at his paws, "I made sure to tell Whitestar which warriors I want mentoring you."

"Really?" His sister squealed. "Will you be my mentor?"

 _Seriously? That's against the Code. Don't tell me we spent days listening to those babbling elders for nothing!_

"No," the queen purred, "But you will be happy with who I picked out for you!"

 _If it's that yappy birdbrain Leafheart, I'm going to scream._

"I hope it's Hazelstripe," Daisykit mewed with hopeful eyes.

 _Mothfur's apprentice? What a lick-up._

The gray queen stood up and led her litter toward the Highrock.

As they padded towards the meeting place, Alderkit leaned in close to his dark brother and whispered: "Who do you think our mentors will be?"

Nightkit shot him a look full of swiping claws and bared teeth. "Knowing Mothfur, she probably wants your mentor to be Larktail."

Alderkit's eyes widened slightly at the thought. "The deputy?"

 _No, I meant the rock, the rock named Larktail. Why does my brother have to such a dumbwit? Pointing out the obvious all the time!_

Nightkit shrugged to hide his inner disdain. "I don't know who I might get, but as long as they're a good warrior I'll be happy."

 _Happy as a beetle in a pile of fox-dung._

He quickened paws leaving his fumbling brother in the dust.

They sat down together, waiting for Whitestar's announcement. _It's past sunhigh already! He didn't wait a heartbeat to get his last litter apprenticed._

Finally, Whitestar emerged from the darkness of his den. He looked out over the camp and yowled, "May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather by the Highrock for a Clan meeting."

 _Finally._ Nightkit looked over his shoulder and watched as his little denmates from the nursery raced out to join the Clan meeting. The elders padded out of their dens and nests and the warriors sharing tongues quickly joined the litter beside the Highrock.

"ThunderClan will have some fine apprentices this season." One of the senior warriors mewed.

 _Fine? Fine apprentices? Yes, we will be average, thank you._

"And it's about time Hazelstripe gets a new apprentice." Another cat whispered.

 _What, you think she's such a great mentor? If I were Daisykit, I wouldn't want a warrior who let her last apprentice get killed by rabbit-chasers._

Nightkit felt his sister squirm with excitement. With most of the cats gathered, Whitestar began the ceremony. He felt his stomach twist with dread.

Nightkit was slouching over, staring glumly at his Clanmates, feeling almost miserable. _These cats! These disgusting cats!_

He sniffled and glared at his brother through the corner of his eyes. What a smug tom, sitting up as straight as the Highrock as if he were actually the leader of the entire forest.

"Daisykit, you are now known as Daisypaw. You will be mentored by Hazelstripe." The white tom declared.

The dark she-cat warrior padded through the Clan over to the tiny kit. "I am honored to be your mentor." She purred.

Daisypaw could barely hold her joy inside. Her throat rumbled with the deep sound of her purrs. She quickly pressed her nose to her new mentor's own. Daisypaw's happy, green eyes sparkled like Silverpelt.

 _Happy and dead in two moons._

Whitestar seemed satisfied with the happy pair. Leave it to Hazelstripe to waste apprentices!

"Nightkit," Whitestar looked down at the small tomkit.

 _Nightkit. I'll be the last cat to say my name: Nightkit._

"From now on until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Nightpaw. Your mentor will be Foxfoot."

 _Foxfoot? Foxfoot? You mean that ginger fool? If he didn't have such quick paws, I'd swear he was just a pampered tick._

Alderkit nudged his brother with a quick jab of his paw. What? Was he lucky or something?

Beside him, the long-fur queen stiffened. "His mentor was supposed to be Larktail," he heard Mothfur mutter.

Nightpaw's pelt twitched, and glanced up at her, almost choking. She wanted his mentor to be Larktail? No, of course not! Did she really want him mentored by the deputy herself?

Oh, but Whitestar thought she was too good for him. The old tom wanted his deputy to be training Alderkit for sure. He was everycat's favorite pudgy kit!

Nightpaw approached the ginger warrior with tiny pawsteps. He kept a placid face, hiding his unimpressed thoughts

"Foxfoot, you are swift and intelligent, and I hope you will pass on your wisdom to Nightpaw."

"Most definitely!" The big tom mewed sincerely.

 _Did you eat mouse bile this morning?_

They pressed noses, and it took all of Nightpaw's strength to not show his repulsion at the warrior's breath.

Afterwards his brother received Stormclaw as his mentor. Stormclaw, one of the leader's oldest sons. Stormclaw, the tom who was promoted early due to his impressive skills in battle. Stormclaw, basically the perfect mentor.

Stormclaw, the warrior second-best to the deputy.

"Alderpaw! Nightpaw! Daisypaw!" Their Clanmates cheered.

Nightpaw glanced over at his mother. She was cheering loudest of all.

Alderpaw padded over to his mother, brushing her legs with his cheeks like the little lick-up he was. She nuzzled him tenderly. He was her favorite after all. "Do you like your mentor?"

"Yes! Thank you!"

"Thank Whitestar," Mothfur nodded, "Except for Nightpaw. What a slip!" She added with a growl.

Hearing this with perked ears, Nightpaw padded over to her with his sister tumbling along. Daisypaw reached up and licked the fur above the queen's eye. "Thank you so much! I can't believe I have Hazelstripe as my mentor! I'm so lucky! Thank you!"

"Anything for my kits." She mewed. She turned her yellow gaze towards her brother Nightpaw, eyes darkening. "I'm sorry, Nightpaw. I requested that Larktail be your mentor, but Whitestar must have cobwebs in his ears." Mothfur looked up at the leader who was speaking with the deputy by his den. "I ought to teach that tom a lesson." She hissed.

"What?" _I... I can't believe you actually tried._ "Foxfoot is fine. He is a really good warrior. Uh, thanks for trying to get the deputy for me. But, Foxfoot is probably even better." _Thank you._

Mothfur nuzzled her son. Nightpaw fought the urge to step back, but instead he pressed against her, breathing in her motherly affection. "Thank you for understanding. I'm sure Foxfoot will be a fine teacher. Now," she sat up. "Go back to your mentors. They will tell you what to do now."

"Are you going to be a warrior again?" Daisypaw asked.

"Yes," Mothfur nodded.

"Great!" Alderpaw purred. "We can all train together!"

 _Great._

"Perhaps," she nodded once more. "Now run along. Respect your mentors and do as they say. Never disobey them."

Nightpaw turned away from his mother. Strange feelings buzzed in his whiskers. He looked out at the sky towards the treetops. In this Clan, he was stuck with a bunch of babbling fools, spare himself and Mothfur. Someday he wouldn't be stuck in the dreadful camp bound by his birth to these awful cats.

Someday he would be able to squirm out of their yellow-clawed grasp. He was not looked at as an apprentice prodigy. What was he? A small gray-colored tom harder bigger than a flea. He would show them.

Someday he would become the best warrior. He would surprise them. Someday he would be leader.

Nightstar had a nice ring to it.


End file.
